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(No Model.) i 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. T. CARTER.

RAILWAY GATE. No. 418,109. 'Patented Dec. 24, 1889.

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(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 2. J. T; CARTER. RAILWAY GATE.

110.418,109, Patented Dec. 24, 1889.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

J. T. CARTER. RAILWAYGATB.

. No. 418,109. Patented Deo. 24, 1889.

f mm1 n YIlliillllllllllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlllllllllI||||||||UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. CARTER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK J.HILBERT, OF SAME PLACE.

RI LWAY-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 418,109, datedDecember 24, 1889. Application filed April 25, 1889. Serial No. 308,550.(No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern: of the crossing and at a suitable distance Beit known that I, JOHNT. CARTER, of from the same. Upon each side of thestreet Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have inat the tracks a pairof gate-boxes are located, vented certain new and useful Improvementsand in these boxes the gates, when open, are 55 5 in Railway-Gates; andI do hereby declare contained, the track-beams being balanced that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact therein, andl these swinging beamsare condescription of the invention, which will en- `nected with thetrips by rods and levers, so able others skilled in the art to which itapthat when a train approaches the crossing pertains to make and use thesame, reference and depresses the trip on that side the outer 6o 1obeing had to the accompanying drawings, and ends of the track-beams willswing down,

to the letters of reference marked thereon, thereby causing the gates toroll into posiwhich form part of this specification. tion across thestreet, and when the train has My invention relates to animprovement inpassed the crossing and the other trip is derailroad-crossing gates.pressed by the-wheels the outer ends of the 65 i r 5 The object of theinvention'is to provide beams will swing up, causing the gates `to animproved gate automatically closed and roll to' their normal positionsin the boxes. opened by atrain approaching and leaving In the drawings,the reference-letter d inthe crossing, which is exceedinglysure,quick,4dcates the closed gate-boxes, located upon and reliable in its action,cheap,simple, and opposite sides of the street and at one side 7o zodurable, and composed of a minimum numof the railroad-track, these boxesbeing open ber of parts, not easily broken or injured, at their sidestoward the street, and upon and capable of ready repair or replacement,each side of said openings a heavy vertiand wherein a slight movementonly of the cal beam o is located to support the trackoperatingmechanism is required to operate beam. Each box is provided with atrack- 75 25 the gates. These objects are accomplished beam c, locatedin the upper portion of the by, and my invention consists in, certainsame, and pivoted at its center between novel features of constructionand combinasaid beams b, so that one half of the beam tions of parts,more fully described hereinafwill be located in the box and the otherhalf ter, and particularly pointed out in the claims. extend out overthe street. Each beam b is 8o 3o Referring to the accompanying drawings,provided with a journal-box d, rigidly secured Figure lis a perspectiveview of a portion of to its side, andthe swinging beam c isproarailroad-track at a street-crossing, the imvided with gudgeons orjournals mounted proved gate, and connections for operating therein, oneof them being extended through the same, the side of the protectinggatea box on one side and provided upon its end 85 3 5 boxes beingremoved. Fig. 2 is a plan view with a crank-arm f, longitudinallyslotted, to of Fig. l, the tops of the gate-boxes beingrewhich aconnecting-rod is secured and by moved. Fig. 3 is a detail view of theparts which the beam is swung, as hereinafter set composing theoperating-trip located upon forth. This swinging track-beam is longithetrack, said parts being separated. Fig. 4 tudinally slotted, as shown,or is formed of 9o 4o is a detail sectional view of an adjustable twocorresponding bars or plates secured tojoint between two sections of therod-conne'cgether at their ends, so as to be held a suittions betweentrips and gates. Fig. 5 is a deable distance apart by blocks or clipsg,which tail perspective view of the swinging trackare preferablypivoted or journaled so as to beam of one of the gates. Fig. 6 is acrosshaveaslightrocking movement. These clips 95 45 section of the same.Fig. 7 is a sectional or blocks are each provided withatransverse Viewof the track-holding clamp or clip at one aperture in which the ends ofa wire cable h end of a swinging track-beam. Fig. 8 is a deor the likeare secured by means of set-screws tail perspective view of theoperating and z', extending through the blocks into the aperbell-cranklever of a trip. ture. This cable extends the length of the Icoy 50 Thedevice primarily consists of a pair of beam directly over or in thelongitudinal trips located on the track on opposite sides openingthereof and forms the track or support for the gate j, which is providedwith hangers lo, extending upwardly through the opening in the beam andhaving bifurcated ends embracing the track-cable, and rollers journaledin said bifurcated ends bearing and running upon the cable. It will thusbe seen that the rollers are so confined upon the cable that it isvimpossible for them to become accidently detached therefrom, and theycan run upon the cable from one end of the longitudinal opening of thebeam to the other end thereof. These gates are of such length that whenthe outer ends of the beams are swung up the gates will be completelyhoused in the boxes; but when the outer ends are swung down the gateswill slide out of their boxes 4toward each other and extend completelyacross the street.

The ends of the swinging beam extend slightly upward, so that thestrength of the same is increased and the cable can hang rather loose,so that the gate will not assume an inclined position when open orclosed. The use of cable-tracks for the gates is a great improvement, asthe gates move a great l deal easier and with less inclination of thebeam, the rollers cannot be thrown from the cable, and the cable can betightened or loosened by means of the clips, which on account of theirpivotal bearings adjust themselves to the movement of the cable as therollers run upon thesame.

As before mentioned, one journal of each track-beam is extended beyondthe box and provided with a longitudinally-slotted horizontal crank orlateral arm f. Each arm f is provided with a bolt l, extending throughand adjustably clamped in the slotthereof, and the upper end of a rigidconnection or rod m is loosely secured to each bolt,while the lowercndrof each rigid connection m is loosely secured to the horizontal armof a separate vertical bell-crank lever n. These two bellcrank leversare pivot-ed to the gate-boxes, with their horizontal arms extending inthe same direction, and with their lower vertical arms loosely connectedby a rigid connection o, extending beneath the road, so that the twolevers, and hence the two track-beams, will be simultaneously operated.A rigid rod or connection p extends from the lower free end of each ofthe levers n along the railroadtrack to a point opposite the position ofone ,of the operating-trips q, and is loosely secured to one arm of ahorizontal bell-crank lever r, and the opposite arm of this bellcrankleverA is provided with a rod or rigid connection s, extending'therefrom to and loosely connected with a vertical bell-crank lever t,located beneath the track, and at its other end pivoted to the lower endof a vertically-movable head a', upon the upper end ofwhi'ch the upperends of the hinged levers b b loosely bear, so that they will bedepressed by the flange of a passing car-wheel, and thereby depress thehead and move the connections and rock the levers to swing thetrack-beams. These trip-levers rest in and bear upon a casing c',secured upon the track beside a rail.

The present invention is not limited to use with lthe peculiar trippingdevice herein shown, which device is not claimed per se in the presentapplication, but is shown and claimed in my patent, No. 402,505.

Thus when a train approaches the crossing the trip on that side will bedepressed,there by operating the levers and connections to draw down thetrack-beams, one trip simultaneously operating both gates by reason ofthe connection between the'vertical levers n, and when the train reachesthe other trip it depresses the same and' throws the trackbeams up andrestores the trip on the opposite side to its normal position.

The connections ss and rods m m are preferably formed in sections,having their ends threaded and adjustably connected by coupling-sleevesd', (see Fig. 4,) so that these connections -can be varied in lengt-hwhen desired.

It is evidentthat the connections, levers, &c., will be suitably housed.

The great advantages of this device are obvious. There ar e no springsor parts easily broken or injured, the amount of movement vof the tripsrequired to operate the gates is very small in proportion, and by meansof the slotted crank-arms the swing of the beams can be varied.

It is evident that various changes vand modifications might be made inthe form and arrangement of the parts described without departing fromthe spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to limitmyself to the precise construction herein setr forth, but considermyself entitled to all such changes and modifications.

l. In a railway-gate, the combination of a track-beam pivoted at thecenter of its length to swing in a vertical plane, a rolling gatecarried by said beam, one of the journals of the beam being providedwith a crank-arm, and mechanism connected with said crankarm to swingthe beamin opposite directions, for I[he purpose set forth.

2. In a railroad-gate, the combination of a swinging track-beam pivotedat the center of its length, a gate carried by and provided with rollersrunning upon the 'same and varying in position with the position of thebeam, a lever connected with the pivot of said beam lto swing the same,and mechanism located upon the track, operated by apassing train andconnected with and adapted to operate said lever, substantially asdescribed.

3. A railroad-gate swinging track-beam provided with a track formed by acable, upon which the gate-rollers run, substantially as described. A,

4c. A swinging railroadgate track-beam having a longitudinal opening thelength thereof, blocks pivoted at the opposite ends IOO IIO

of said opening, and a cable or Wire forming the track for thegate-rollers and secured to said blocks at its ends, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a railroad-gate, the combination of a swinging track-beam havingjournals or pivots at the center of its length, a support for the samewhereon the pivots are journaled, one of said pivots being extended andprovided with a crank-arm, a vertical bell-crank lever located below thearm, a rod connecting one arm ot said lever and the crank-arm, a tripupon the track, and connections between the same and the other arm ofsaid lever, substantially as described.

6. A swinging track-beam of an automatic railroad-gate, t ulcru med atits center and having a longitudinal opening extending therethrough, theends of said beams being inclined upwardly, and a track for thegaterollers secured to the ends ot the beam and located above saidlongitudinal opening, substantially as described. i

7. A swinging track-beam ot' an automatic railroad-gate, fulcrumed atits center, having a longitudinal opening or slot extending the lengthof the same, and a loosely-stretched cable extending the length of thebeam above said slot and forming the track for the gaterollers andadjustably secured at its ends at the ends of the beam, 'substantiallyas described.

8. A swinging track-beam of an automatic railroad-gate, composed of twoparallel bars secured together and a distance apart by blocks pivotedbetween the ends of said bars, thereby forming a longitudinal openingthe length of the beam, said blocks having openings therethrough, acable extending the length of the beam and forming the track for thegate-rollers and passing through said openings of the blocks, andset-screws adjustably securing the ends of the cable in said blocks,substantially as described.

9. In a railroad-gate, the combination of a swinging track-beam pivotedat its center, a rolling gate carried by and varying in position withthe position of said beam, a trip located on the railroad-track, and avertical bellcrank lever fulcrumed beneath the center of said beam andhaving its Vertical arm connected with and swung by the trip and itshorizontal arm loosely connected with the center of said beam,wherebythe beam is swung from its center by a car passing over the trip,substantially as described.

1D. In an automatic railroad-gate, the combination of a swingingtrack-beam pivoted at the center of its length, a rolling gate carriedby said beam and varying in position with the position of said beam, anda vertical bell- -crank lever pivoted beneath the pivotal point of saidbeam and connected with the center of said beam to swing the same fromits pivotal point in both directions to close or open the gate,substantially as described.

1l. In an automatic railroad-gate, the combination of a swingingtrack-beam pivoted at the center of its length, a rolling gate carriedby and varying in position with the position of the gate, a crank-armrigidly connected with the center of said beam to swing the same in bothdirections, a pivoted lever, and a rod loosely connecting said lever andthe crank-arm, for the purpose set forth.

l2. In an automatic railroad-gate, the combination of the swingingtrack-beam pivoted at the center of its length, a longitudinallyslottedcrank-arm rigidly-secured to a journal of said beam, a rolling gatecarried by thebeam, a bell-crank lever pivoted beneath said beam, anadjustable rod connecting one arm of said beam and said crank-arm,whereby the lever can swing the arm in either direction, and a boltextending through said slot of the arm and adj ustably securing said rodto said arm, substantially as described.

13. The combination of a pair of swinging track-beams located onopposite sides of a street at a railroad-crossing and pivoted at theircenters, a rolling gate carried by each beam and varying in positionwith the position of the gate, a vertical bell-crank lever pivotedbeneath the center of each beam and one arm of each lever connected withthe center of its beam to swing the same in either direction, a rigidrod extending beneath the street and connecting the opposite arms ofsaid levers, whereby the beams are swung simultaneously, and tripslocated on the track onl opposite sides of the crossing and eachconnected with the lever on that side, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

JOHN T. CARTER.

I Witnesses:

FRANK J. HILBERT, C. M. WERLE.

IOO

